Celebrating My 25th

I almost wanted to omit my age as it is typical for women to hide their age as it increases in number, but then I know there are people who didn't get to live longer than I did, so it has to be something I should be proud of. I turned 25 a few days ago, and although I didn't get to spend the entire day with my mom and sister, we still got to celebrate it.
Last Sunday, we went to check out the tiangge - what's it called in English? Flea Market? It's a big marketplace located at the grounds of Robinson's Place Novaliches, where people can buy clothes, footwear, and so many gift items for less the price compared to the malls.

There were a lot of people shopping, so we decided to just enter Robinson's Place Novaliches because we thought SM Fairview had more shoppers, considering it was the last weekend day before most Christmas parties will be held.

For dinner, we ate at Pizza Hut, as this mall had very few restaurants and we didn't dare enter the two well known fast food chains as for sure it would be jampacked with diners. For this dinner, we shared a pizza, and we chose our own food. I went for the penne pasta, mom chose the lasagna, and my sister ordered chicken wings and this food called cheesy thins, just for us to try it out.

Mom decided to go home after eating dinner, while sister and I stayed and walked our way to SM Fairview (the mall fronting Robinson's) to look for more gift ideas.

That day's happies:

• We were lucky to occupy the last vacant table in the restaurant.
• Sister was able to buy books at cheap prizes.
• Spending good, quality time with the girls.
• Walking most of the time - from 3pm til 9pm, only sat down when we ate dinner.
• Mom gave me 1000 pesos as birthday present.

That day's crappies:

• The tiangge was filled with so many fake goods! It was so disappointing to see all sorts of brands in many products! 
• Mom told me I could buy whatever I want to buy with the money she gave me, but when I saw a pair of flat shoes I liked, she was quick to say I own a lot of shoes already.
• The penne pasta served to me was way too salty. I asked them to replace it, and at first one of the managers told me that if I preferred less salty food, I should have told the serve staff before hand. Well, I usually just go for what food served to me - I rarely make requests whenever I dine in.. but the pasta was just way too salty! And.. this pasta was my usual choice whenever we dine at Pizza Hut and this was the first time I encountered something like this! Well of course, they did replace it and the new plate of food tasted much better, thank heavens!
• My sister wanted to buy this mason drinking jar with handle, but the shop already ran out of stocks. Bummer.
• SM Fairview, contrary to what we thought of, had less shoppers. Had we known, we should've just went there.

My shift at work this week was 4pm to 1am. Very difficult to adjust because I get home around 2:30 to 3:00 am everyday, so I spent the first few hours of my birthday at work and traveling home. My mom prepared our brunch that day while my sister baked me some cupcakes. It was very touching because she considered a food I like - Nutella! It was so good... and I think my sister has already mastered the art of baking cupcakes using the Oven Toaster.

I went to work with a warm feeling because I felt my mom and my sister's love for me. Work was okay, then after our shift, I treated my team to a nearby fast food. It was already nearly 5am when I got home, but it was just fine.

My last day at work will be tomorrow, as I already filed a leave of absence starting Sunday until the end of the year. I look forward to spending more time with my mom and sis, then after Christmas, we will be traveling for brother's wedding.

* Jesz *

 

A Weekend Well Spent

The past two Sundays before yesterday, we were always just at home because either we baked cupcakes or that my sister was so tired after working six days that she just wanted to stay in bed or catch up on television shows. Last weekend was a different story, though.


Saturday morning, us three girls traveled to Makati together, but my mom and I went to The Maya Kitchen while sister walked further to her work place. For this month's featured class at The Maya Kitchen, celebrity chef Fern Aracama treated the class to easy to make dishes, which can be served this Christmastime. One of the dishes really wowed my mom, and I think it will be something we will re-create this weekend.


After the class, mom and I walked over to sister's workplace and waited for her break time so we all could eat lunch together. This was my lunch - yeah I know it was a lot... but I didn't eat it all, some I gave to sister.


Sister had to go back to work, so it was time for mom and I to leave, but we passed by The Landmark first to shop for some things. I bought the spoon and spatula set as well as a pack of paper cupcake liners then I bought some nail implements. The Landmark is a shopper's heaven! They sell items cheaper than other malls, that's why whenever I pass by this mall I make sure I buy something to make it worth my time and bus fare. Anyway, I want to put spotlight on the nail polish remover. A month ago, I was "forced" to buy a new bottle of nail polish remover at a pharmacy because it was the only place I could buy what I needed and a bottle of Bobbie Nail Polish Remover 120ml was priced 46.50 pesos. At The Landmark, I first thought of buying the same kind and was surprised to see it was only 36 pesos. I told mom about it, and when I checked the bigger bottle - 275ml, we were more surprised to see it was only 49.50 pesos. Definitely, we bought the bigger bottle.


Sunday, mom and I woke up early because mom had to go to the Divine Mercy center where she and her friend attended a church service. Sister got home a little after mom left, and because she didn't sleep the entire night, she immediately dozed off and I thought this is going to be another laid back Sunday for us, but when she woke up, she asked me to prepare so we could go out and enjoy our time together.

We ate at the newly opened Manang's Chicken at the mall near our house, then strolled around - tried on some shoes, and spent time at Booksale where I rummaged through the books but didn't buy any because nothing caught my interest.


Before going home, we went to an HBC branch. At first, we just went there to check their products, but when sister saw this tube of BB Cream for only 149 pesos, she decided to buy and try it out. This was very cheap compared to her usual choice of BB Cream, so she is just hoping this would be just as good for her to save money. I bought the cheek blush because the one I am using already hit the one year mark.

Mom was already home when we arrived. While eating dinner, us three girls shared stories of how our day went... and because boxing news was so good (Manny Pacquiao won), part of our talkies was about that, too.

It was a great weekend, and a good opening to a new week.

* Jenn *

Sisters Weekend Out

I never had any plans last weekend, but since one of sister's friends from college couldn't attend the baptism celebration of another friend's baby, sister decided to tag me along. Celebration took place at the St. James Church in Quezon City, and the reception was held at Shakey's located along Congressional Avenue. It was a very solemn and simple celebration - attended by 99% family.


The event ended a little past lunchtime, and since it was still early, sister and I went to the nearest mall - SM City North EDSA. Roaming around, checking shops here and there led us to the Sky Dome, where a big shoes and bags sale was held. We both felt sad when the items we wanted to buy for many months now were things we couldn't afford at that time because sister left her last salary envelope at work and I only brought enough money to sustain the day because I am going to buy books online from two different sellers and I wanted to set aside money for that instead of doing some impulse shopping.



However, what we weren't able to control was the temptation of this pastry shop that sells very cheap cake slices at 35 pesos! Sister and I decided to try it out (since she and I are planning to be home bakers soon). I paid for the three cake slices plus my choice of coffee, and she bought two cupcakes (which are slightly more expensive than the cakes I bought) and her coffee. At 35 pesos per slice, the cakes blew us away. One of the cakes - the red velvet one gave us a foodgasmic experience, while the other cupcake was quite basic. It was quite a sugar overload, but we didn't eat all the icing and frosting.

It was a little sad that mom wasn't with us that day, but I did promise her that us three girls will enjoy a weekend out together.

{Image of the cupcake and coffee was edited by adding Kim Klassen's 123 texture set to hard light at 40%.}

* Jenn *

The BPI Big Outlet Sale 2013

As you all know, Christmas season in the Philippines starts as soon as September comes, and since it's already October now, I'm sure a lot of you are already making plans what to buy your friends and loved ones this Christmas. We all want to send and receive gifts during the holidays, but of course we want to get the best deals, so if you're up for up for the four letter word SALE, then this is what you're looking for:


The BPI Big Outlet Sale 2013 happening next weekend.

25 to 27 October 2013 (10am - 9pm)

Metrotent at Metrowalk - Ortigas Center, Pasig

Enjoy deals up to 80% off on big brands to satisfy every shoppers - there is surely something for everyone! What's more, if you're a BPI Cardholder with valid ID, you get free entrance for the event, and if you're a BPI Credit Card Holder and you purchased at least 1000 pesos worth of items, you're in for more discounts, freebies, and prizes!


Click on the images to view the larger version or check their Facebook page to learn more about this event. Ready, shop... go! See you there next weekend!

* Jenn *
 

The Happies and the Crappies

Thank God it's Friday... but even if it's already the start of the weekend, I still have so many tasks to do, so let me now recap the week that was before I continue doing my assignment.



Happie:
Great product purchases.

♥ Mom and I went to Watsons to buy her choice of hair tint, and while paying, the cashier told us about TRESSemme hair products, which were being sold at 50% off, as part of their introductory offering. We do have our own choice of hair products, but 450ml bottles for 165 pesos? That was quite a steal! Was it good? Heck yeah! Well, my hair has natural light curls (it's never really straight) and it's always frizzy, but our hair is just so soft and it smells so good. It wasn't able to tame my always fly-away hair, but we were happy with this purchase.

♥ More books at reasonable prices, making the worm very happy.

♥ I still have about 10+ nail polish bottles I haven't used yet, but it's been so long since I last bought this other addiction I have, so one time I satisfied myself buy buying more local branded nail polishes. I bought - Chic Nail Color {Grainy - Montana}, Klik Nail Polish {Ube Shake, Navy Blue, Lazy Pink}, Color Trends Nail Polish {Celebrity Seen}, and OMG Nail Colors {Purple Passion, Sunny Tan, Bunny, Salsa}. Quite a handful... but it will take more months before I will have another nail polish haul.

♥ Rains brought in a lot of mosquitoes and for some crazy, irritating reasons, it also drove some cockroaches out of their hiding places. This Baygon insect repeller + protector took care of our worries, and while there were still a few mosquitoes, I haven't seen any cockroaches since we sprayed nearly a week ago. It has an orange scent, too!


Happie / Crappie
Silver Shoes

Sister still hasn't bought her silver shoes for the wedding, so on her last day off, we went to the mall and checked out Payless Shoe Source. The store currently has a sale - some pairs as low as 375 pesos, something that really drove my Imeldific sister crazy. This was a happie and a crappy at the same time, because the salesperson told us that one of the pairs (right image) was priced 375 pesos, making sister bought it along with the other pair (left image - 575 pesos) and another one, which she can use at work. We were given 10% more discount for all the pairs of shoes, but when we got home we noticed that the supposed to be 375 pesos pair of shoes was priced at 500 pesos. We went back to the store to ask for an explanation and the cashier told it was the salesperson's fault... that the pair was actually 500 pesos and not 375 pesos. The incident was quite stressful (will tell more next Wednesday), but in the end we just accepted it. Afterall, 500 minus 10% was still a very cheap price for a good pair of shoes. However, crappy selling on their end now caused us to have second thoughts if we are going to purchase there again.


Happie:
Baking my first oven toaster Fudge Rocky Road Brownies! Well, it wasn't 100% successful, but my gosh... it was so good that I don't think I would buy brownies anymore - I will just bake it at home!


Happie:
Spending time with my family

No fancy food trips with the family, but each of the food we ate was made special because we were together.


Happie:
Balancing the food intake.

Last week, I had food trips with the family, and one day my sister went home with grilled pork belly, which caused me dizziness and headaches for two days. I am pre-hypertensive, and even if I never had my blood pressure taken, I knew eating fatty pork was giving me negative effects. For the last three days, I haven't eaten pork yet, and was consuming mostly vegetables.

Crappies this week weren't that much, for which I was thankful.
Have a great weekend, everybody!

* Jenn *